THE RELATIONSHIP OF CHILDHOOD SEXUAL ABUSE TO TEENAGE PREGNANCY

This study examined whether childhood sexual abuse contributed to a gr eater risk for teenage pregnancy. Data from the sexual histories of 2, 003 young women showed that sexual abuse alone was not related to the incidence of teenage pregnancy, but sexual precocity, alone and in com bination with sexual abuse, was related to much higher incidences of t eenage pregnancy. Logistic regression showed that social class, ethnic ity, age at first coitus, not using birth control at first sex, and se xual abuse by a boyfriend were significant predictors of teenage pregn ancy. Early coitus and not using contraception at first coitus were th e strongest predictors of teenage pregnancy.